ON THE MONEY TRAIL: Corruption in the news - Jan. 2

Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation - Wed, 2 Jan 2013 15:24 GMT

Author: TrustLaw

KAMPALA - Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has vowed to deal with narrow-minded bureaucrats and corrupt officials, whom he says are frustrating economic growth, New Vision reports. “In this coming year, the patriots of Uganda will have to confront these two saboteurs: the myopic political, administrative group and the corrupt officials, who delay our industrialisation vision,” the president said in his New Year message. “No modern country can prosper by agriculture alone. I have told you this many times. These delays for industrial projects can spell a disaster for Uganda if they are not resolutely resisted and defeated,” Museveni added.

KAMPALA - Arthur Larok, country director for ActionAid Uganda, says President Yoweri Museveni has often publicly vowed to fight corruption, but has little to show for it, according to an article in the Observer newspaper. Larok argues that presidential pronouncements on corruption have not translated into real actions that deter "politically connected thieves" and civil servants. A review by the Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU) of major graft scandals in the last decade reveals the vice is on the rise, the paper reports. ACCU Executive Director Cissy Kagaba says the sums involved have grown steadily over the years.

JAKARTA - Judging by the rise and fall of other anti-corruption agencies around the world, two of the most important prerequisites for success are independence and sufficient resources, says an editorial in the Jakarta Post. On Dec. 3, Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named the then-youth and sports minister, Andi Mallarangeng, as a suspect in the Hambalang sports complex graft scandal. Andi’s arrest is seen by many as a major achievement for the KPK, considering it is the first time in its history that an active minister has been named a suspect in a fraud case, the paper says.

BELGRADE - First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vu?i? has stated that the fight against corruption in Serbia will continue, perhaps even at a stepped-up pace, the website B92 reports. Vu?i? said he is confident Serbia will develop a more efficient judiciary, even though the reform process is not easy. Most important is having the political will to stop corruption, he said.

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In a camp for displaced Rohingya Muslims residents frequent bamboo “internet huts” where they can communicate with relatives who left the country, escaping the violence that led to 200 deaths and left over 140,000 homeless in 2012